Patricia Smith Davies

DALLAS — Patricia Smith Davies, a resident of Dallas for more than 60 years, and more recently of Mechanicsburg, Pa., died at home on June 25, 2024. She was 99 years old.

Born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on Oct. 31, 1924, Pattie was the daughter of the late Dr. Alathena Johnson Smith and William Bush Smith.

Pattie graduated from Milwaukee-Downer Seminary in Milwaukee, Wisc., Class of 1942. In 1946, she graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Wellesley College, in Wellesley, Mass. Following graduation and a year on the editorial staff of Scholastic Magazine in New York City, Pattie worked for two years in post-war Europe, with Douglas Aircraft in Brussels, Belgium, then with the Economic Cooperation Administration (the Marshall Plan) in Paris, France.

On Sept. 10, 1949, she and Stanley S. Davies of Dallas, Pa., married in Paris, after which they returned to Dallas, Pa. In addition to raising four children, Pattie was an active volunteer in the Wilkes-Barre and Dallas area.

Pattie played the cello through her college years, and her love of music led her to the Wilkes-Barre Philharmonic Orchestra. As president, she worked with the leadership of the Scranton Philharmonic to form the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, serving the two organizations a total of 22 years.

Pattie was equally committed to education, and that interest led her to membership on the board of trustees of Wilkes College, which she served as its first woman chair, from 1984-1987. Pattie also served on the board of directors of the Back Mountain Memorial Library, the Family Service Association, and as a member of the Sordoni Art Gallery Advisory Commission. She was a longtime member of the Wellesley Club of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

A lifelong learner, Pattie loved to travel, and she and Stan did so widely in their later years. She was also a member for 40 years of Sen-Night, a women's literary group for which she researched and wrote over 30 papers.

Family was especially important to Pattie, and she enjoyed lifelong relationships with her four children and eight grandchildren. In the early years, she and her husband Stan created multiple memorable family vacations, and through the later years and growing next-generation families, she was a warm and gracious host to many gatherings for holidays and other special occasions.

Pattie is survived by daughters: Anne D. Newman (James Newman), of Camp Hill; and Caroline P. Davies, of Kansas City, Mo.; sons: Peter B. Davies (Tarin Davies), of Albuquerque, N.M.; and Gordon S. Davies (Cynthia Davies), of Marietta, Ga.; grandchildren: Jesse, Claire and Peter Newman; Ryan, Austin and Ashley Davies; and Joshua and Gordon Beal; and great-grandchildren: Gabrielle, Marius, Theodore and Cassien Davies; Greyson and Elliotte Davies; Aria Newman Wall; Pascal Welborn; and Wynne River Staudinger.

Preceding Pattie in death, in addition to her parents, were her husband of nearly 70 years, Stanley S. Davies; and her sister, Alathena Smith Miller.

A celebration of Pattie's life will be held at a time and place to be determined. Interment in Fern Knoll Cemetery will be private.

Memorial donations may be made to Wilkes University, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766; and the Northeast Philharmonic, 195 Hanover St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711.